Many business people are constantly tired and overwhelmed by the activities they engage in at their work place. It is common to see them always doing something but at the end of the day, very little is accomplished. This is because there is a massive difference between being busy versus productive. When one is busy, they tend to focus on doing a lot of activities that are not important. This makes them too tired to accomplish the important tasks and they therefore end up procrastinating. Busy people make procrastination a habit to the point that they do not make any progress in the business. Productive people on the other hand prioritize the most important tasks and finish with the less important. By doing so, they are able to accomplish a lot and meet deadlines. To be productive, it is very important to learn time management skills. Below are some tips that can help you in managing time.
Have A Day Plan & Stick To It!
One important thing that can help you in using your time well and be productive is planning your day every night. On the night before, you should list down all the things you need to accomplish within that day in order of priority. Allocate more time to the tasks that require more attention and are more important. This ensures that you do not waste time doing anything that is not important since you stick to your plan. This should be a daily thing in order to make you productive each and every day.
Have A Calendar
A calendar is very important when it comes to being busy versus productive. This is because with a calendar, you are able to mark your deadlines and ensure you get the job done before your deadline. You should have the calendar on your office table, phone or computer in order to remember the deadlines you have to meet.
Avoid Distractions
Distractions are of many kinds in offices. You should identify some of the things that distract you from doing your job and avoid them. For instance, if a coworker likes to come to your office to chat, it is important to say no to him or her in order for you to complete what you are doing. You should do this in a way that makes them understand you are busy. For example you can tell the person you are busy but you can talk to them later (when you are free).
Get To Work Early
In order to do a lot in a day, you ought to ensure you get to your work place early each and every day. You would be surprised what an extra 15 minutes each day (uninterrupted) can do for production. This additional time should be used to get the most important task completed, or at least started, for the day. If you start with the highest priority and get it done, the rest of your day will be much smoother.
It is very important for every person in business to look at their schedules and evaluate if they are being busy versus productive. The success of a business is determined by getting deadlines met.
